Here's the quote:
The context changes completely when you leave out the second sentence. And if you read on, here's what he said specifically about Gillum:
If you can read that and claim that Sanders is "excusing" racism, then I don't know what else to say. You may have already come into this with a negative perception of him. You're not really leaving him much benefit of the doubt, when he's someone who has worked his whole life to defend POC.